


Field Work

by spikewriter



Series: A Symphony of Ten [12]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-12
Updated: 2014-12-12
Packaged: 2018-02-28 06:41:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2722514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spikewriter/pseuds/spikewriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A cozy little tent for two</p>
            </blockquote>





	Field Work

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for Day Twelve of my 2009 Advent Calendar and edited for posting here.

"When you suggested we get out of the city, this is _not_ what I imagined."

Rose grinned, but didn't stop fiddling with the equipment, which took up at least three-quarters of the tent. "Come on, Doctor. Where's you sense of adventure?"

"At home. Where it's dry. And warm." He paused. "That's supposed to be my line, anyway. The companions are supposed to complain I never take them anywhere nice and the conditions are horrid."

"That's one thing I never got to ask you. Sarah Jane called me your assistant; is that like an actual job? Traveling around with a Time Lord in the TARDIS and doing what?"

"Back in the day when there was more than just me?" He shook his head, considered lying down and stretching out, decided there wasn't enough room, so settled for shifting position slightly. "Traveling with non-Gallifreyans was most definitely frowned upon. Even got in trouble for it once. No, I used to use the term assistant for my traveling companions because it lent a certain formality to the situation. Made it easier when we met other people -- and kept things from getting too...complicated."

He fell silent as some of those faces danced through his mind, bright, young, eager for adventure. Then he felt Rose's hand touch his cheek and returned his focus to the present. "Was I complicated?"

"Always." He couldn't help grinning as he covered her hand with his. "Why do you think I tried so hard to get rid of you when we met?"

He turned his head slightly to plant a kiss in her palm. "I thought you were just grumpy," she said. "And the first time you asked, I said no. You could have just flown away."

"And I tried, believe me. No time at all for you, quite a while for me. But something drew me back, said I need to ask again. And that, Rose Tyler, is not something I do very often."

That was enough to make her lean forward and kiss him, which allowed them to pass the next few minutes very pleasantly until the equipment beeped. "What is it supposed to be monitoring?" he asked as she fiddled with the dials.

"There's been a lot of weird stuff in this area, so Torchwood set up a monitoring station a few years back to track it. I think it's a rift like back in Cardiff. I got involved with the project shortly after I arrived. I guess I was hoping it might somehow help me find a way back." She glanced in his direction. "But that's not how it works, is it?"

"No. It's complicated and while small things can leak in here and there, to get anything larger through, you'd need a structured portal or a TARDIS. The technology for the first doesn't exist any more and the other, well, we've seen what happens there."

She nodded and continued to work, making notes of the readings. "So if this project has been going on for several years," he asked, "why hasn't Torchwood built something a bit better for its equipment than a rickety old tent?"

"It has, but once a month they set up a remote station at varying points in the subject area to see if we get any other readings. This month, it was my turn; easy enough to associate with the project, but I haven't found a way to disassociate."

The Doctor lifted a skeptical eyebrow. "I have never known you to be at a loss for words to tell someone you didn't want to do something."

Rose ducked her head, paying close attention to what was on the readout screen, but he noted a wicked little smile. "Well, I told them I'd do it once more, especially since it means we miss Mum's dinner for the Vitex executives. She was disappointed, but she understands how it is with Torchwood."

"Rose, you are brilliant! And since you're on official business she won't be calling until we're back. So...how many more notes do you have to take?"

She made one more notation and put the book aside. It was only later as they were trying to find a comfortable position to snuggle in that the Doctor said, "If we do this again, do you think we can find a tent that's a little bigger on the inside?"


End file.
